Thin-wire arrays are used in a large number of devices, and have been found particularly suited for use in small or densely structured computer devices, such as sensors, memory devices, and logic chips.
To address this need for thin-wire arrays, arrays of thin-wires have been created using photolithography. As computer devices get smaller and smaller, however, the wires of these arrays need to be thinner and more closely spaced. Photolithography has so far not proven to be an adequate method to create very thin and closely spaced arrays of wires.
To address this need for thinner-wire arrays, two ways of creating them have been used. One of these ways uses an etched, linear-layered superlattice as a mold for imprint lithography. The other uses an etched, linear-layered superlattice and physical vapor deposition to fabricate arrays of thin, linear wires.
An example of etched, linear-layered superlattice imprint lithography is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,407,443. This example of imprint lithography includes subsequent lift-off processing that may ultimately limit its process capability. It also uses a nano-imprinting step, which has so far not been consistently and successfully used in a production atmosphere.
Current physical vapor deposition uses an atomic beam to directly deposit material on a surface of an etched, linear-layered superlattice. This deposited material is then physically transferred to a substrate. This method, however, often produces wires having an odd cross-section, which can create various structural and usage difficulties. Current physical vapor deposition also can require processing in an Ultra-High Vacuum (“UHV”), which can be costly to use and could restrict the usage of materials that are incompatible with UHV processing.
Both of these current superlattices have linear layers of materials and are used to create arrays of thin wires that are linear. This further limits the usefulness of the arrays created with these current superlattices, as many small or densely structured computer devices are better suited with arrays of wires that are not linear.
There is, therefore, a need for a technique for manufacturing arrays of thinner wires that allows for non-linear wires and/or is reliable, less expensive, more reproducible, and more production-friendly than permitted by present-day techniques.
The same numbers are used throughout the disclosure and figures to reference like components and features.